Fishtail Matchlock Arquebus

.78 caliber, 49" octagonal-to-round barrel, no S/N. Bright iron barrel slightly swamped at muzzle with two sets of incised lines like rudimentary baluster turned rings at the transition, roughly .22" thick at muzzle. Fully stocked to within 2.75" of the muzzle in a dark European hardwood, secured by pins with a single 1.4375" wide iron band near the tip to reinforce the wood and help prevent cracking. Fishtail shaped butt, 63.25" in overall length, weighing slightly under 14 pounds. 9.25" long, flat rectangular lock secured by two large screws through the stock, with crudely decorated serpentine to represent a "sea monster" or dragoon and thumb screw clamp to hold the match. Pan with pivoting cover, action operated by a lever rather than a trigger and with no triggerguard. Top barrel flat marked with a {star} over {cross} touch or maker's mark. Rudimentary sights consisting of a notched rear at the breech and fixed blade at the muzzle. Includes an old wooden ramrod and a piece of contemporary braided match in the serpentine.

Condition:

Good. Metal with a dull pewter patina and scattered oxidation, showing imperfections as well as tool marks. Some scattered light pitting here and there with a large patch of discolored pitting under the barrel between the forend tip and muzzle. Screws and hardware crudely fashioned, mechanically functional, good bore with moderate oxidation and some pitting. Stock good with numerous handling marks, bumps and dings and some chips out of the butt area of the gun, as well as some splintering along the forend at the ramrod channel.

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